No Former Athlete

What happens when the sport that shaped you is taken away in a second? In this episode of No Former Athlete , Erin sits down with Ciara — former volleyball player, Navy veteran, coach, content creator, and founder of The New Mix — to talk about athlete identity, career-ending injury, mental health, and rebuilding confidence after sport. Use code CIARAPOD to get a special discount to get lifetime a...

Bree Pear has played basketball since they were five. They never played in college — but they never stopped playing either. Now at 36, they’re still figuring out how to get back to the game after a three-year depression pulled them away from the one thing that always kept them grounded. In this conversation, Bree and Erin talk about what it means to hold onto a sport when it's no longer a requ...

Most athletes don't grieve the end of their sport. They just move on — or try to. In this episode, Erin talks with Max Guenther, a former D3 quarterback, about the seven years it took to figure out life after competitive sport. They cover the identity loss nobody prepares you for, the injuries that close doors you thought would stay open, and why the feelings sport gave you aren't coming b...

Dom played basketball at Grinnell College. Then it ended. No fanfare. No plan. Just a routine that disappeared overnight. Now he's run 16 marathons, founded Sunday Run Day LA, and still isn't sure he'd call himself an athlete. In this episode, we get into the honest, unfiltered conversation about what happens to the competitor inside you when the sport is gone — and why that part of yo...

What happens when you stop playing the sport that shaped your entire identity? In this episode, we’re talking about the very real transition from college athlete to “normal life” — and why so many no former athletes struggle with losing structure, purpose, validation, and identity after sports end. Jen, a retired Division III soccer player turned physical therapist and business owner, shares her e...

Okay, here’s the real story. No Former Athlete didn’t start as a business idea. It started with an identity crisis. We were in the middle of the pandemic, feeling off, watching Brittany Runs a Marathon … and by the end of the movie I was signing up for an Ironman. Why? Because I missed being an athlete. Not the glory. Not the applause. The identity. The structure. The validation. The feeling of kn...

From Competitive Cheerleader to Women’s Sports Broadcaster | Athlete Identity After Sport with Ari Most people assume Ari played basketball. She’s 6 feet tall. She covers women’s sports. It feels obvious. But her athletic background? Taekwondo. Gymnastics. Competitive all-star cheer. Volleyball. Use code ARIPOD to get a special discount to get lifetime access on the NFA Breathe Here Now Virtual Br...

What happens when the thing that defined you… ends? In this episode of No Former Athlete , Brad Hauter opens up about life after sport — from being told he’d never play again, to playing professionally for 10 years, to chasing validation long after the crowd was gone. We talk athlete identity, fake dopamine, ego, grief, and the emotional crash that comes when the season ends — sometimes over and o...

In this episode of No Former Athlete , we sit down with Megan, a former D1 soccer player whose career ended suddenly after multiple concussions. What followed wasn’t just an exit from the game—it was a full identity reckoning. We talk about control issues athletes carry into adulthood, why rest can feel like failure, and how so many no former athletes (NoFos) replace sport with work, productivity,...

Ever look back at your high school athlete days and think, “Damn, who was that person?” Same. In this episode, Brandi takes us on a hilarious, honest, and nostalgic ride from being a basketball star to figuring out who she is after the final buzzer. We talk college hoops drama, identity crises, career pivots, concussions, and why walking away from the game might’ve been the best move she ever made...

Are you still an athlete if you’re not competing anymore? In this episode of No Former Athlete, we sit down with Zach, a former collegiate baseball player, to talk about the moment sport ends—and everything that quietly comes after it. Zach opens up about how his brain still defines “athlete,” why adult leagues don’t quite count, and what it actually felt like to hang up the cleats. From checking...

What happens when being an athlete is all you’ve ever known — and then it’s suddenly taken away? In this episode of No Former Athlete , Kelly Balch opens up about growing up as a multi-sport athlete, earning a soccer scholarship as a goalkeeper, and competing at a high level — only to lose her senior season two practices in. What followed wasn’t just the end of a career, but a deep identity ruptur...

This week on No Former Athlete , we sit down with BJ Beckwith — co-host of the Just Women’s Sports: Sports Are Fun podcast — for one of the most honest, refreshing conversations we’ve ever had about identity, pressure, and choosing your own path. BJ grew up in a D1 household. A sister who played D1. A dad in two Hall of Fames. A family where sports weren’t just a hobby… they were the blueprint. An...

What happens when the thing that’s defined you your entire life… suddenly ends? Jazzmyne Jay was born and raised to be an athlete. Volleyball was everything — her schedule, her identity, her way of belonging. But two games before playoffs, she tore her ACL, MCL, and meniscus. In one moment, everything she’d built came crashing down. In this episode, Jazzmyne sits down with Erin to unpack what it r...

Kara Campbell has never known life without sports. From t-ball to college volleyball, and now as a head athletic trainer, she’s always been surrounded by athletes—and still proudly identifies as one. In this conversation, Kara reflects on what it means to carry the athlete identity long after your own playing days end. We talk about the bittersweet transition from being on the court to supporting...

From D3 football to 100-mile ultra marathons — meet Toan Nguyen. In this episode of No Former Athlete, Toan shares how he went from playing football and basketball in college to becoming a long-distance runner chasing ultra endurance goals. He opens up about his athlete identity, how a concussion changed his outlook on health, and why he believes movement is medicine. Subscribe for more athlete st...

What happens when a high school hallway conversation launches a Division I basketball career? In this powerful episode, Nina shares her incredible journey from picking up a basketball for the first time as a freshman to competing against legends like Cheryl Miller and starting on one of the top teams in the nation. With honesty, humor, and humility, Nina reflects on the evolution of women’s sports...

Why I’m Done Working Hard (And You Should Be Too) We grew up believing that hard work was the ultimate badge of honor — especially as athletes. Hustle harder. Push through. No excuses. But what happens when you hit your 30s and realize… maybe that kind of grind isn’t it anymore? In this episode, we unpack the moment Erin said, “I’m not a hard worker anymore. I’m a soft worker.” And something about...

Are you still an athlete if you're not competing anymore? In this episode of No Former Athlete , I sit down with one of my best friends and former college basketball teammates, Allie Ross, for a raw and honest conversation about what happens after sports end. We talk about the identity crisis that hits when the season’s over, how external validation shaped our entire self-worth, why we both sh...

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Jax—athlete, entrepreneur, and founder of California’s first sports bar dedicated to women’s sports, Watch Me. Jax opens up about reclaiming her athlete identity, navigating identity shifts post-sport, and the fire that fueled her journey from JV standout to community trailblazer. We talk about what it means to start before you’re ready, building safe spa...

She Walked Away from the Game — and Found Herself Again In this episode of No Former Athlete, Jerrica Brooks keeps it real about what it’s like to grow up loving a sport that doesn’t always love you back. We get into the highs of high school hoops, the pain of toxic coaching, and how stepping away from basketball for six years ended up being one of the most important moves of her life. This episod...

Life After Pro Sports with AthletEX Founder: Taylor CohenWhat happens when the final whistle blows — and you’re not ready to stop playing? In this episode, we sit down with a former pro soccer player and founder of AthletEX, a community-driven platform helping athletes rediscover identity, purpose, and connection after competitive sports. She opens up about the emotional rollercoaster of retiremen...

What does it mean to be an athlete—after the game ends? In this episode of No Former Athlete, we sit down with the one and only April “Scherm” Schermann: Division 1 softball player, award-winning educator, and legendary coach with over 21 years at the helm. Scherm shares her story of growing up as the only girl in a neighborhood full of boys, her competitive drive to play college ball, and the emo...

What makes a great coach? In this episode, I sit down with my former high school soccer coach, Coach Walker—a man who didn’t just teach the game, but taught life through it. From growing up playing barefoot on the streets of Jamaica to coaching high school and club soccer in the U.S., Coach Walker shares the lessons he’s learned about leadership, resilience, culture, and community. We talk about t...

What happens when the sport that shaped your entire identity suddenly ends? In this episode of No Former Athlete , I sit down with Logan , a former college volleyball player, lifelong athlete, and coach, who’s still pushing herself at 47 — even with a walking boot on her foot. We talk about the transition from being a competitive athlete to figuring out how to stay consistent without a team or a c...